Continuous-rail crossing



30. 1924. 1,521,53 c. R. EDLUND CONTINUOUS RAIL CROSSING Filed April 8.19124 Car/ R Ea'lan @al M.

CHCmcl-l Patented Dec. 30, 1924.

PATENT OFFICE.

CARL R. EDLUND, OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON.

CONTINUOUS-RAIL CROSSING.

Application filed. April 8,

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL R. EDLUD, a

citizen of the United States, residing at railroad, the primary objectof the Spokane, in Spokane County, and State of VJashington, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Continuous-RailCrossings, of which the following is a speciication.

My present invention relates to improvements in continuous railcrossings for use at intersections of street railway or steam inventionbeing the provision of means for maintaining substantially continuoustracks or track rails for the passage of rolling stock, and thuseliminate wear at the ends of the continuous rails of a track.

visible signals lor warnings, and is capable A of use jointly with theoperating mechanism of the signal system.

The invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements ofparts including rotary blocks or tread members and actuating meanstherefor as will hereinafter be more fully pointed out and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one complete exampley ofthe physical embodiment of my invention wherein the parts are combinedand arranged in accordance with the best mode I have thus far devisedfor the practical application of the principles of my invention.

-Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of the appliance and connectionsat the intersection of two railways.

Figure 2 is an enlarged, transverse sectional view as at line 2-2 ofFigure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of one of the rotary heads orblocks.

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing one of the rotary heads and theintersecting rails in dotted lines.

In the preferred form of my invention as illustrated in the drawings andparticularly in Fig. 1 the rails of one track are designated l and 2with the intermediate rail 3,

1924. serial No. 704,936.

and the rails of the intersecting track are designated 4 and kwith theintermediate rail section 6.

At the four intersections of the crossing Y are located rotary headsdesignated as a whole by the numeral 7, each of which is fashioned witha cut away or grooved portion 8 to form a tread 9 which is adapted to bealined with the main track rails for the passage of rolling stock. Thecontiguous ends of the track rails terminate at the rounded periphery ofthe rotary heads, and as indicated in Figure 1 the track running eastand west is made continuous by the in-lterposition of the rotary heads.with their treads 9 in alinement with the track rails.

The four rotary heads are adapted for alternate us in pairs with ltheintersecting tracks, and the diagonally disposed pairs of heads aredesigned to rotate in unison as indicated by the arrows in Figure 1.

The rotary heads or blocks are of complementary construction, and eachis fash ioned with a conical socket 10 at its underside that is adaptedto seat and turn upon a conical bearing head 11 which latter head isfashioned upon a chair casting 12 located below and adapted to supportthe contiguous ends of the track rails. Y

Each head is fashioned with a depending, rigid shank 13 which isjournaled in the bearing head 11 and adapted to revolve with the rotaryhead. The conical bearing faces of the rotary head and bearing headinsure a correct and proper location of the rotary head, provide for awide Varea of support for the rotary head and insure a minimum of wearbetween the two friction faces in addition to maintaining the rotaryhead in proper horizontal position between the ends of contiguous rails.i

For lubricating these friction surfaces between the rotary head and itsbearing head an oil hole 14: is provided through which the parts may belubricated as required.

The chairs 12, four in number may be formed integral with a base plate15 located in a suitable pit beneath the crossing and the parts aresecured in usual or suitable manner against displacement.

As an emergency device adapted for use in case the rotary heads are notproperly aligned with the track over which traffic is to pass, I utilizea depressible cap 16 on the heads, which is held in normal position bymeans of springs 18 and 19 portion 17 of; the head.;

movement of the cap by ,accumulation of.

dust, snow or ioeipongfthe-cup walls offthe rotary head, Athe lower edgeof the cap is beveled as at 20 in order thatlthis edgemay Y. cutlthrough and separate ythe obstruction K 33* andith'e other--arm of thelever. is con-k from the cup to permit" movement of the cape,YSlitnrldthe Wheels. 0f @inpassing train strike@ 'the fcap- ,it jwillbe` apparent that the cap Lis depressed Vthereby thus avoidingvanyObstruction ,te the, passing Wheels.'

' AS; indicatedin the drawings the "four rotary heads areturnedsimultaneously 1n theidirection of thearrows, and each' shank 13is prcflvidedl with aI horizontally"disposed rackwvheel 2l below which`wheel thezshank is journaled' in the base plate 15'.' At the centerofthe pit and in horizontal alinef ment with the fourwheels k21 asimilarwheel heads.:V These three rack wheels22, 233 andv 241 are journaledonstudshat'ts 25 projecting 221s locatedfand which is alined wit-ha. pairotintermedifatjewheels and 24, tli'e'latter meshing with the drivenwheels of the rotary 4upwardly 'from the base plate, and areloicatlel'lin the same horizontalv planeVUV with Y thelfoturrdifivenrack wheels..

For" imparting the required rotary movenieringo4 the several wheels,dnplex, oppositely y disposed 'and parallel 'rack plates. 26 and 27 areutilized.' saidplatesbeingf dis- .Y posed equidistantV iroin the Ycenterof the crossing and eaclr provided -with'a guide slot as28.v The platesare adapted'to slide 1n opposite directions and are guided by means ofthe 'stationaryx lugs 29p' ofy the'pbase' plate that projectupwardly:through the slots 2S.

The two slide rackeplates ,are each' 'fashioned with' three sets of rackteeth each indicatedby the numeral 30 and the rackteeth .as shown arearranged in a kcomplementary pair to'engage the central wheel 22 asecond complementary pair enga-ge th-eintermedrate wheel's- 23 VAand21's and a thirdy 'complementary pair engage the 'two diagonally"disposed rackwheels 2l of tworotary heads t." '.'lhus it willgbeapparent that when the rack plate 26t'or instance ismoved.:longitudinaliy,in

l the direction of the arrow inipFi'g-fl'thecototurn them in arrows.

'acting rack wheels and. rack teeth will impart a rotaryA movement totherrotary heads pairsl as indicated?,` by the For operating the slidekplate 26a draw orfa.switcl-ilIV mechanism. This draw `bar is connectedto a bell cranklever32 by a link nected lto the. slide plate 2,6 -asimilar link V34e.

continuous crossing may be controlled in connection withl the signalAmechanism; The rotary'heads are .positively turned ==i1`i either of two.directions to bring their tre'ads)` in alin'ementwith the selected'track" rails; and Voffeourset-hc treads 9ioftheheads.areturned Yparallel with vthe direction otravel-o-:an approaching train. 1

Having thus fully describedmyl invention,

LettersI Patent isf.-

what Iolaimjas new andd'esire'to, securefby barl is; employedwhich isactuated by f' suitable power, as from a signalv mechanism .f

l. In a continuousrailway-crossing-the combination Wit-lr fourdiagonal-ly dispps'ed rotaryv heads each-f havingf a rack-: wheel, a

central rack Wheeland ofin'termediate' wheels',-- of a pairi of?oppositely,Y movable plates each having"- three fset's oi?v2 racl teethtor co-action with* said i rack wlreels; and means for operating oneA ofsaid plates;v

Vso

alsY Y 2. In.'- a continuous railiifayk crossing/- the combination.with-four rotary'headseach Y of' a bearing-head having/ gacomplementary' conical 'face-and# supporting said sl-ra-nk' a cup on'the'vupperv portion-offth'efheadyaf-cap on fthe' cti-p1. fand a springinterposed between said cap and Culp. Y.

In' testimony-whereof' affix =l1ny sign atnre.

